The use of biological molecules as templates for the production of metal nanoparticles and wires is often limited by the stability of the bio-template and its affinity for nucleating metal deposition. In this study, Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was used as a model bio-template to investigate the use of silica coatings as a means to both enhance template stability and increase its affinity for metal ions. Results indicate that the unmodified TMV particle can function as a template for the growth of thin (<1 nm) silica layers. However, this thin silica shell did not enhance the stability of the template during metal deposition. To increase silica growth on the TMV template, a pretreatment with aniline was used to produce a uniform silica attractive surface. Aniline pretreated templates yielded significant silica layers of >20 nm in thickness. These silica shells conferred a high degree of stability to the TMV particle and promoted the deposition of various metal nanoparticles through conventional silica mineralization chemistries. This process provides a simple and robust method for the layering of inorganics onto a biological template. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.